Brassiere



A. E. MILLER.

BRAsslEm-I.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.9 1918.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

PATENT oricl".

ANNE ELIZABETH MILLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BRASSIRE.

Lseaoea.

T 0 aZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ANNE ELIZABETH MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Brassires, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to brassieres, especially for stout figures, and the object of the invention is to provide a garment which will support the figure, and at the same time permit great freedom of movement of the arms and body. Another object is to provide a construction by which the garment will be securelyheld to the figure not only to support and b-race it, but to prevent its riding up at the waist after' exercising or doing work which calls for considerable movement of the body.

I accomplish my objects by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a view of the garment spread out to show the relationship of the parts.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the garment is secured to the body of the wearer.

Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views showing theV location and arrangement of the parts as they appear in actual-use.

Similar numerals refer to similar'parts throughout the several views.

In the form selected t`o illustrate my invention the garment consists of two front Sections 1, two shoulder Sections 2, 2 and two back sections or flaps' 3, 3. The front Sections have a non-stretchable strip 5 arranged Vertically at the middle of the front of the garment. The seams which join the front sections with the shoulder sections are faced with non-stretchable strips 6, 6. The seams which join the shoulder sections with the back Sections or flaps are reinforced by non-stretchable strips 7, 7 It has been customary in garments of this class heretofore, in fact in most women's close fitting garments, to makethe seams upwardly divergent, that is, to make darts with the pointed ends downward. vMy garment is constructed on the reverse principle in the sense that the strips 6 run from a point at or near the waistline, below the arm pits, upward and forward toward the front of the body. This accomplishes two important purposes: In the first place it supports the breasts of Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented Dec. 14; 1920.

Application file December 9; 1918. Serial No. 265,967.

the wearer and in the second place permits great freedom of movement, for it will 'be noted that these strips 6 ,extend transverse to a line drawn from the front center of the waistline to the Shoulders. To illustrate; suppose a non-stretchable tape were passed over the body of the wearer from the center of the waistline to the top of the shoulder portion 8. Upward swing of the arms as in exercising or in reaching would draw upon such a strip and would either bind the shoulder' of the wearer or would draw the garment up at the waistline, or both. One of the defects of ordinary garments of this class is that they tend to ride up from the waistline, not only causing discomfort, but robbing them of their function of supporting the figure- In my garment the strip 6 instead of running from the center of the waistline up over the shoulder, which is the general direction of stays usually found in garments of this kind, runs transversely to such line, thereby permitting utmost freedom of movement without creating any tendency either to bind the arms of the wearer or pull-up from the waist. In the preferred construction I increase the efficiency of the garment in this regard by so arranging the fabric of the shoulder sections 2 that the threads composing them are oblique to the said imag'inary line running from the front center of the waistline to the top of the shoulder. By thus arranging the fabric of the shoulder Sections on the bias, a stretching movement'is permitted and yet the strips 6 support the figure in all attitudes which may be assumed by the wearer.

The back Sections or extensions overlap each other thus forming flaps. They taper approximately to points 10 which come at the level of the waistline and form points of attachment for the tie strips 11 which pass around to the front whereitheymay be tied together. Tie strips 12, 12 are fastened to the garment at the waistline underneath the arms and pass to the back where they may be tied as best suggested in Figs. 2 and 3. It will be observed that both tie strips come practically at the waistline; also that one set draws the front of the garment closely against the front of the figure while the other set draws the back 'sections closely against the back of the figure. In practice this produces a most comfortable and bracing effect. It conduces to erect posture and has the further advantage of rendering it practically impossible for` the garment to rise at the waist. i

It will be understood that the strips 5, 6 and 7 may be variously constituted. By preference they consist of non-stretchable tape or similar fabric securely stitched to the garment by parallel rows of stitching and covering the seams oining the Sections. It will also be understood that it is not essential that-the front Sections 1' be formed of different pieces of fabric, nor is it essential that the shoulder Sections 2 be entirely severed from the front Sections 1. In fact, the front Sections and shoulder Sections may be formed from one or two pieces of fabric and they may be partially integral (at the bottom portion) or entirely separate.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A brassiere consisting of a fabric bodice having a front held tight to the figure by tie strips secured to the bodice at the waistline under the arm pits and passing to the back; the bodice also having a back formed of two overlapping wing portions the extremities of which are provided with tie strips passing below the arm pits and to the front for drawing said Wing portions tight against the back of the figure.

In witness Whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ANNE ELIZABETH MILLER. 

